Tymoshenko charmed Putin with white dress (photo)

News / 30 April 2009 | 17:44

On April 29 Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Tymoshenko paid one-day working visit to Moscow. PM took part in session of intergovernmental committee on economic cooperation of Ukrainian-Russian intergovernmental committee.

In scope of the visit, Yulia Tymoshenko is expected held meeting with Russian PM Vladimir Putin. The PMs discussed gas issue. Yulia Tymoshenko also met with Russian patriarchy Kirill. Yulia Tymoshenko laid flowers to monument to Taras Shevchenko and also to grave of Mykola Gogol.

 

In the evening Yulia Tymoshenko came back to Kyiv.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photos are from Cabinet press office

ForUm

Russia will not impose fine to Ukraine

News / 30 April 2009 | 17:25

In scope of the working visit of Yulia Tymoshenko to Moscow, the Ukrainian and Russian governments agreed that Russia would not impose fine against Ukraine in 2009 for consuming less Russian natural gas than provided by the Ukrainian-Russian gas contracts. Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko said that today in Kyiv at the press conference, the ForUm’s correspondent informs.

“This year Ukraine will not get penalty provisions for taking less natural gas,” Tymoshenko said.

According to Yulia Tymoshenko, this agreement was achieved during a meeting of the Ukrainian-Russian intergovernmental economic cooperation commission in Moscow on April 29.

Yulia Tymoshenko reminded that in accordance with gas contract, signed in January 2009, Naftogaz can reduce consumption of gas without any penalties only by 20% of the volume, foreseen in the contract.

As a reminder, Russian Gazprom forwarded Naftogaz official letter on less consumption of the natural gas in the first quarter of 2009 and noted on possible fines at $1.188 billion.

Maftogaz imported nearly 2.5 billion cubic meters of natural gas in the first quarter of 2009, whereas the contract with Russia’s Gazprom gas monopoly envisaged imports of 5 billion cubic meters.

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Tymoshenko is satisfied with decision of CCU

News / 30 April 2009 | 16:23

Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Tymoshenko states that the Constitutional Court proved that there are no reasons for early parliamentary elections, she said that today at the press conference in Kyiv, the ForUm’s correspondent informs.

According to Yulia Tymoshenko, the decision of the CCU says that coalition has right but not obliged to nominate a candidacy for the PM after the reformation of the coalition.

“There are no reasons for parliament dismissal,” Tymoshenko stressed.

As a reminder, President Viktor Yushchenko earlier applied to court with purpose to declare illegal the fact that he had not received any submission on a nomination for PM after the formation of a parliamentary coalition among BYuT, Our Ukraine – People’s Self-Defense, and the Lytvyn bloc on December 5, 2008.

The staff of the government remained unchanged after the creation of a new coalition, while the nomination for PM was not discussed.

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IMF says Ukraine will undoubtedly get next tranche

News / 30 April 2009 | 15:33

International Monetary Fund (IMF) Mission Chief in Ukraine Ceyla Pazarbasioglu has said that there is no doubt that Ukraine will get the second tranche of the fund’s USD 16.4 billion loan, Ukrainian Vice Premier Hryhoriy Nemyria said after a phone conversation with the IMF mission chief, according to Ukrinform.

He said that yesterday’s reports in the media that the IMF could stop crediting Ukraine are untrue. Nemyria phoned Pazarbasioglu in the presence of journalists and she told him that the IMF Executive Board would consider the allocation of the next tranche to Ukraine at a meeting on May 13.

Following the first review of its program of cooperation with Ukraine, the IMF is planning to allocate USD 2.8 billion in the next tranche to the country, with half of these funds to cover Ukraine’s state budget deficit. The third tranche worth USD 2.8 billion is expected after a review of the program in mid May.

On November 5, 2008, the IMF decided to allocate USD 16.4 billion to Ukraine to help the authorities restore financial and economic stability and strengthen confidence amid the global financial crisis.In November 2008, Ukraine received USD 4.5 billion in the first tranche of the stand-by arrangement.

ForUm

Tymoshenko held telephone talk with EPP President

News / 30 April 2009 | 14:50

Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Tymoshenko has held a telephone conversation with the President of EPP Wilfried Martens, according to government portal.

Yulia Tymoshenko congratulated the President of European People’s Party on the successful start of EPP Congress in Warsaw and thanked to W.Martens for his contribution in strengthening of democracy in Ukraine. Yulia Tymoshenko expressed pity with failing to participate in the EPP Congress.

For his part, Wilfried Martens thanked to Yulia Tymoshenko for the high mark of EPP contribution into formation of the democracy and social market economy in Ukraine. The EPP President invited the Premier to attend Brussels within nearest time.

“You are always welcome here,” he stressed.

ForUm

Russia to help pay for gas transit, risks remain

News / 30 April 2009 | 13:57

Russia will help pay for supplying enough gas to ensure transit to European consumers via Ukraine, but supply risks have not yet been eliminated, Russia’s senior energy official was quoted as saying on Thursday. “From our point of view, risks remain,” Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin said during a meeting with European Union Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs, Interfax news agency reported.

“We have not yet reached guaranteed stability and we are prepared to clarify our position on this issue,” Interfax quoted Sechin as saying.

“When we say there’s a problem, we also propose a solution. We have even agreed to co-financing,” Sechin said.

The supply of “technical gas” to Ukraine — the gas needed to ensure transit supplies are pumped through its pipeline system — was a major sticking point in the stand-off that led Russia to sever supplies to Europe for two weeks in January.

At the time, Ukraine said Russia should supply this gas free of charge, a demand that was rejected by Moscow.

In a sign relations might be thawing, Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, visiting Moscow on Wednesday, welcomed Russia as a key partner in the EU-backed renewal of its gas pipeline network.

 

Moscow in turn agreed not to exact a $2 billion fine from Kiev for using less gas than agreed. Russia was angered by its omission from the pipeline overhaul plan presented by Ukraine in Brussels in March, citing its role as the main gas supplier.

 

Source: Reuters

 

ForUm

Azarov estimates situation on state budget as critical

News / 30 April 2009 | 12:19

The Finance Minister of the opposition government Mykola Azarov estimates the situation with the budgetary resources as critical, ForUm’s correspondent informs.

 

“According to data of the State treasury, (which, by the way, Tymoshenko concealed from public), as of April 28, 2009 the funds on Treasury account of the state reduced by UAH 7.7 billion since the beginning of 2009 and make UAH 1.7 billion,” it is said in the statement of Mykola Azarov.

 

At that Azarov noted that previously, as to the end of April there have always been about 12-15 billion hryvnyas in the State Treasury account.

“It means in fact that to finance the programs of the common state budget fund and the Pension Fund deficit the Tymoshenko government used the funds foreseen for other purposes (the state budget special fund, local budgets, off-budget funds, etc.),” he summed up.

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Lytvyn: There will be no parade on Victory day

News / 30 April 2009 | 11:30

The VRU speaker Volodymyr Lytvyn said there would be no military parade on Khreshchatyk Street in Kyiv on Victory Day on May 9. He said that yesterday in Simferopol.

“There will be no military parade,” Lytvyn said.

According to Lytvyn, military parade is impossible on May 9, because no funds from the national budget have been allocated yet.

As a reminder, the Kyiv city administration iintends to organize a march of World War II veterans and the parade of military orchestras on Khreshchatyk Street on Victory Day, May 9.

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Ukraine and Poland to work out common position on UEFA EURO 2012 preparations

News / 30 April 2009 | 11:00

Ukraine and Poland agreed to work out their common position on preparations for the finals of the UEFA EURO 2012 European Football Championship ahead of a meeting of the UEFA Executive Committee on May 13. Ukrainian Vice Premier Ivan Vasiunyk made the comment after a meeting with President of the PL.2012 Board in charge of Poland’s preparations for the championship Marcin Herra, according to Ukrinform.

“We agreed that our sides would hold urgent talks especially during this period, by May 8 and May 13. We should have our joint position at the meeting of the [UEFA] executive committee, taking into account the formula ‘Two Countries – One Tournament’,” he said.

Vasiunyk also said that Ukraine and Poland had again confirmed their mutual position on the need to select at least eight cities in the two countries that will host UEFA EURO 2012.

He said that Ukraine had again confirmed its position on the equal number of cities, with four cities from each of the countries.

Vasiunyk said that such a principle would help reach a compromise in the distribution of powers in hosting the championship.

Ukraine and Poland won a UEFA bid to host the UEFA EURO 2012 European Football Championship in April 2007.

On May 13, 2009, the UEFA Executive Committee should select Ukrainian and Polish cities that will host the tournament.

Kyiv, Lviv, Donetsk, and Dnipropetrovsk were earlier declared as major host cities in Ukraine, while Kharkiv and Odesa are reserve cities.

ForUm

Putin: Russia does not strive for managing of Ukrainian GTS

News / 30 April 2009 | 10:21

Ukraine invited Russia to reconstruct Ukrainian gas transport system. Yulia Tymoshenko said that yesterday at the press conference in Moscow, the ForUm’s correspondent from Moscow informed.

According to Tymoshenko, It will be difficult for Ukraine to provide transit of increased volumes of gas. “We see Russia and Gazprom as partners in modernization of gas transport system,” Tymoshenko said.

PM noted that necessary technical equipment for modernization of Ukraine’s gas transport system is being produced in Russia. Russian side can participate in modernization under condition of investments return.

According to Tymoshenko, if there is not enough equipment in Russia, then other European countries can be involved in reconstruction of GTS.

In turn, Vladimir Putin noted that Russia does not strive to manage the Ukrainian gas transport system.

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